Love in Hiding
by The Angel144
Summary: When Mr. Simmons assigns yet another project. Unwillingly our favorite couple, Helga and Arnold, are paired up to write a story. Unfortunatly, Helga makes a big mistake when writing the assignment with her love.
1. You Assignment is: (If you choose to acc...

Love in Hiding   
_The Angel144_   
  
Chapter 1- Your Assignment is: (if you accept it.)   
  
Yeah, I think we can all guess I donÕt work for Hey Arnold.

"Outta my way Bucko!" *WHAM!* Helga G. Pataki forced her way through PS 118Õs crowded hall. It was a typical day, though to strangers it may not seem like it. How often do you see a blonde, wearing all pink, that is the most feared human being in their elementary school? There are only two people in the entire school that can stand to be around this bully. Phoebe Heyrrdahl, and Arnold. (No last name given, but IÕm sure youÕve heard of him?) Phoebe is her best friend, and Arnold, well, lets just say ArnoldÕs a special someone. "Hey! I said get out of my way! " Helga yelled through her teeth at an innocent bystander who was taking a sip of water. The bell rang over head. Helga and Phoebe walk into Mr. Simmons 4th grade classroom. She stomped in right after Arnold, and sat right behind him. Arnold sighed, knowing that he would get a spit ball or 3 before the day was done. 

Helga took a wad of paper and threw it at the boy in front of her. Yep. It already begun. "Good morning class!"Mr. Simmons bounced into the class cheerfully. "I have a new project that I know youÕll love!"The class groaned." Oh! Come on! ItÕs a literature project. You and a partner will write a 20 page story on whatever topic you like! Whatever characters, story line, setting, whatever! ItÕs all up to you and your partners!" 

The class looked a little into this. But they were sure not to look too intrested." I have your partners all paired up right here. Stinky, you and Lila are partnered up. Gerald and Phoebe," the two exchanged a look of approval, and romance between each other. Mr. Simmons ran off a few other names. "So, who does that leave me?"Helga asked bluntly. Mr. Simmons realised his mistake when he looked at his clipboard. He accidently put Arnold and Helga together. He couldnt do anything about it! He hesitated. "Helga, you and Arnold are paired up." "Oh great! I get the football head!" Arnold closed him eyes and laid him forehead on the table. He thought to himself Òawe man!Ó   
  
Continued......   
  
**Note: My HTML is messed up, so excuse all weirdness that you may see in the text. **


	2. Starting on the Project

**Love in Hiding**  
_The Angel144_  
  
Chapter 2- Starting on the project  


The bell rung at 3:00 that day. Helga stepped out onto the concrete steps. The heat of the sun, the cool breeze against her face, and the site of no one for miles, except the city itself, mixed itself into itÕs own peacefulness. Then, she heard a rumble behind her. Screams, shouts, laughter. The rocks beneth her rumbled. She turned around to see all of PS 118 run towards her. A scream escaped her, only to be drowned out by the noise. When the cloud of chaos disappeared, Helga stood up. Surprisingly, she was not touched. hey all merely went around her, of jumped. She got up, dust off her white sleeve and felt pretty proud. Until; *SMACK!* A force smaller then her slammed right into her. Tossing her down the steps, and flat faced into the dirty concrete below.   
"Oh-oh, man. YouÕve done it now."Said a familiar voice behind her. She got up, turned around, and saw Arnold and Gerald looking down at her from the top of the steps. She could tell merely by the look on ArnoldÕs face that he was the guilty one.   
"Hey!" She yelled up at them, "Why dont you watch where your going you doo goody little yellow haired shrimp!? I oughta pound your stupid football head into this concrete! You hear me!? Or do I gotta come up there myself, and let OlÕ Betsy explain it to ya!?" Arnold was stunned. If he stayed, she might deck him. If he moved, she might kill him. So either way, he was a dead man walking. Or, lack there of.   
Helga saw Arnold just stand there, not moving. She figured she petrified him. Good enough for her. She stomped away, not looking back.  
"Phew, Arnold! I thought she was going to murder you!" "Yeah, same here."  
"You got lucky man!"  
"Not lucky enough."  
"What do ya mean?" Gerald asked his best friend as they headed home.  
"I got paired up with her for our literature project, remember?"  
"Oh yeah. Thats right!"  
Arnold ran his fingers through his thick blonde hair. "I dont know what IÕm gonna do, Gerald! Maybe sheÕll surprise me."  
"Arnold, the _only _ way Helga is gonna ever surprise me, is if she suddenly vaporizes right before my eyes."  
Arnold laughed "I suppose your right, Gerald."They both got to ArnoldÕs house. They did their secret handshake, and said their good-byes. Gerald walked toward his house, and Arnold in his.   
Meanwhile, Helga was trailing them the whole time. Listening.   
"Vaporize, tall hair boy? Please. Your so juvinile." Helga mumbled as she came out of the dark allyway. "So you boys think youÕve got me ALL figured out, huh? What morons. If they only knew my love," She pulls out a locket with ArnoldÕs picture in it, "For Arnold. His sweet understanding. Paitence. If he only saw me in a whole new way. A more kinder, gentler me. *sigh* I love you Arnold! I love you! LOVE YOU!" Suddenly, she hears the usual wheezing behind her. She punches Brainy, the source. She puts her locket away, and runs home.   
  


The next day was Saturday. Helga woke up to Mariam calling up to her at 5:00 in the morning, thinking it was a school day. Arnold woke up to the sweet smell of coffee, and pancakes. He got dressed in his usual clothes, and put on his little blue hat. Helga put on her pink dress, and tied on her pink bow. Arnold went downstairs, and greeted his family, and the boarders. Helga walked downstairs, and listened to Bob belly ache about the TV, and Mariam half drunk. "For CrimineyÕs sake!" She whispered, "ItÕs not even 9:00! and shes already at it." Arnold called a few of his friends. But they were doing something this weekend. He picked up the phone, and called the only number not on speed dial. HelgaÕs.   
Helga walked passed the phone, and when she did screamed at her. She picked it up, and, "Hello?"  
"Hey Helga."  
"Arnold!? I-I, mean, what do you want football head?"  
"I was wondering if you wanted to work on the project."  
Helga was stunned. Already so early in the morning, and he wants to be with her! Could it be he has feelings for her? There was only one way to find out.  
"Ok, whats the catch, Arnoldo?"  
"Catch?"  
"Yeah! Why do you want to work on the project so early in the morning?CouldnÕt youÕve waited until 12, or 5?"  
"If your busy I could...."  
Oh crap, Helga! Look what youÕve done! She thought.   
"No, itÕs alright. I guess itÕs better then sitting around here all day."  
"Meet you at the tree house?"  
"Yeah, sure, whatever."  
"Bye, Helga."  
"Later Arnoldo."  
They hung up the phone. Arnold sighed and looked glumly at the floor. Helga fainted.   
  


In about 10 minutes, they met in the treehouse. The air was mild. Arnold brought his books, and some pencils. Helga brought nothing. She sat on the couch, and waited for her beloved. Finally Arnold climbed the wooden latter. The wooden treehouse was dappled in soft glows of light of the early morning sun. Helga could see outside the window, that overlooked part of the city. The sky was golden red, with smears of purple.   
"Hey, can you give me a hand, Helga?"Arnold asked trying to get in the wooden shelter.   
"No."  
"Helga, please will yo-"  
"Alright! Alright! Criminey!"She pulled her beloved into the empty box. They were alone. This would be a perfect chance to confess! Confess her love to the boy of whom she adores! Oh, snap out of it!   
"Ok, Helga. First we need to make a plot. What are we going to write about?"  
"How about something with alot of blood and guts!?"  
"I was thinking of an action story, or a love story."  
"Love? Yuck! What a buch of crock!"  
"Come on Helga. Havent you ever at least liked anyone?"  
Helga paused, she could tell him. But then again.....  
"ME!? Helga G. Pataki!? LOVE?! HAHA! Dont-make-me-laugh." Helga said wickedly. She gave him a cold look that usually puts chills down anyones back. But not Arnolds.  
"I think you might have."  
"WHAT?! Arnold! I think your Grandmothers craziness is genetic. YouÕve gone way out of the ball park."  
"Whatever you say Helga."  
Helga wanted to say more, but she stopped herself. She didnt want to give too much away.   
"Anyway, who are our characters?" "Huh?"Helga was caught off guard. She was deep in thought.  
"Whos our characters, and whats our plot?"  
"I guess we can do a romance story. As long as theres blood and guts!"  
"Alright. Thats agreeable."  
"Your sounding like Phoebe."  
"Sorry."  
"You should be."  
"Um, we need a hero...."  
"How about Artemis?" Helga said after a long pause. She couldnt think straight when he was around.   
"Thats a good name. And we need a girl hero, and ArtemisÕ lover...."  
Helga spoke up after another pause, "How about Helen?"  
Arnold looked at her a moment. Something seemed familiar about these names, but he couldnÕt quite place it. "Thats a good name too, Helga. Now we need a vilian."  
This one didnt take Helga too long, "Lilth!"  
"Lilth?"  
"Whats the matter with that Arnoldo?"  
"Nothing. ItÕs usually the villian is usually a guy."  
"Thats sterotyping. I like Lilith!"  
"Alright, Lilith it is. Now our plot."  
"We can make it so that Artemis saves the day, along side with Helen, the beautiful female hero! And Lilith is trying to steal Artemis away, when all of a sudden, Helen KILLS Lilith and Artemis marrys Helen and-"  
Arnold smiled at Helga. He never knew that she was such a literary genius! Where does she get this material?  
"But Lilith isnt really dead, and then-ooops!" Helga dropped her pencil  
"IÕll get it," They both said as they went down to pick up the dropped pencil. Their hands touched. They paused. Helga looked up into Arnolds deep green eyes. Full of compasion. Full of hope.   
"Hey! I said _I _ would get it, football head!" Arnold snatched his hands away. A little afraid of this desert cobra.   
"Well, I think we got the basics down." Arnold said. "I better go home and write the story. IÕll let you read it tommorow. You can profread it, and make some changes."  
Helga sat up and looked at him impaitently.   
"yeah, right, Arnoldo. You go and do whatever. IÕll see you Sunday, at chruch." They left the tree house an hour after they first arrived.   
  


That night, Arnold was typing up the story line. He looked at his footnotes. Something seemed so familiar about the names, and plot. Artemis, Helen, Lilith? He looked at his computer picture of Lila. "Lilith.." he whispered. "Helen...Helga...Lilith..Lila...Artemis....." He looked at his footnotes:  
  


Artemis saves the day, along side with Helen, the beautiful female hero.  
Lilith trying to steal Artemis away  
Helen KILLS Lilith and Artemis marrys Helen

  
  
"Artemis marries Helen?" He whispered. Arnold recalled a conversation they had earlier that day;   
  


"ME!? Helga G. Pataki!? LOVE?! HAHA! Dont-make-me-laugh."  
"I think you might have."  
"WHAT?! Arnold! I think your Grandmothers craziness is genetic. YouÕve gone way out of the ball park."  
"Whatever you say Helga." 

  
  
"Whatever you say." He whispered, and to himself, he smiled.   
  
Continued.... 


	3. Ignorance is bliss.....or a curse?

**Love in Hiding**   
_The Angel144_

Chapter 3- Ignorance is bliss.....or a curse?

On Sunday morning, Arnold and Helga exchanged the project. Arnold wanted to talk to Helga about this whole ³Artemis/Helen² thing going on. But just as he was about to say something, the music started up, and they went to their seats. Way on the other side of each other. Which is why they never knew they went to the same church until only a few weeks ago. He never say Helga¹s family there, just her. Which was an intresting topic to think about.   
The next day at lunch, Helga and Phoebe were sitting at a table alone. Arnold saw them, took a deep breath and walked on over. The cafeteria was old, and smelled of old meat and another unidentifiable smell. But the floors, and tables, and chairs were always kept pretty much clean. The food wasnt the worst in the county, it was ediable after all. But one thing you never ate in the cafeteria was the meatloaf. The best thing was the Tapioca puddng. Thats why it was always fought over.   
³And another thing, Phoebes, I¹m gonna need some doughnuts. You know, the kind thats cream filled, and the white frosting on top. Oh yeah, and those little heart sprinkles on top. You writing it down, Phoebes?²   
³Writing!² Phoebe wrote in her little notebook. Helga with her feet up on the table, and arms behind her head. She was watching her best friend write as she spoke. Helga, with a satisfying smile.   
Without looking up Phoebe greeted Arnold. Helga nearly fell out of her chair.   
³Arnold!? Uh..what do ya want football head!?² Helga stammered, then regain control. Before talking, Arnold sat himself, along with his tray next to Helga. Helga stopped breathing, and his friends looked at Arnold funny from across the cafeteria. But soon ignored it, and went on to their usual 9 year old boy chatter.   
³Hey! Who said you could sit here?!² Helga demanded. Phoebe looked a little shocked, and started writing new notes.   
³Listen, Helga. About the English project...²   
³Oh yeah! I got it here. Phoebe.²   
³Here you go, Arnold.² Phoebe handed Arnold the 20 page story.   
³I did some adjustments. It didn¹t exactly add up to the 20 pages Mr. Simmons required, so I added some new twists and descriptions.² It was true. Phoebe did none of the work.   
Arnold flipped through the pages, amazed. ³Helga, about the names...²   
³I already told you, football head, that these names are a hit! Theres no problem, and were not changing them!²   
³It¹s not that....²   
³Then what!?²   
Phoebe wrote faster.   
³Well, don¹t they seem familiar.....?² Arnold stammered, uncomfortable about the situation.   
³What do ya mean?²   
Not wanting to get any farther into the discussion, and prayed that Helga would get what he was talking about, ³Well, I mean, Lilith, Artemis....Helen? Dont they seem like we...² He paused. Helga¹s expression hadnt changed from her cold self. But inside, her heart raced like a new race horse, ready for action. ³...like we know them?²   
³Arnold, I have no idea what the heck your talking about. If this is another one of your hair brained ideas then-²   
³Helen!²   
³What!?²   
³Helen, Helga, dont they connect!?²   
Phoebe was stunned, but she still managed to write.   
³Well, I guess they do sound familiar...²   
³And what about Lilith....and Lila!? You seem to have a hate for her, just as much as the character in the story hates Lilith...²   
Now you¹ve done it, Pataki! She thought. you¹ve come too close. You¹re such an idiot. Well, at least he hasnt connected the Helen and Artemis matter....   
³And what about the whole Helen and Artemis matter?²   
Well, crap!   
A crowd was starting to form and watch the two. Phoebe wrote.   
³I mean, Lilith getting killed, and Artemis marries Helen....²   
³Arnold I have something to tell you...²   
Ignoring Helga, ³If the connections are correct then that means that Helen is you...²   
³Arnold, I know you wont understand this but I...²   
³And that means that Artemis is.....²   
³Arnold I...²   
³Then you love...²   
³I love...²   
³my cousin Arnie.²   
³Yo- WHAT!?² Helga was stunned, as well as Phoebe. Neither expected this twisted turn of events.   
³Yeah, Arnie. Lila likes Arnie, and that means you want to kill her and marry Arnie.²   
Helga jumped up and yelled, ³ARNIE!? Why the heck would I ever want to even be near your idiotic country cousin! For cryin¹ out loud, Arnold! The moron collects LINT! LINT! And he reads the back of packages! Now I know you know I¹m way way smarter then that!² Arnold stood up to protect himself from the aproching cobra. The crowd now grew larger and larger. And everyone was silent. Some hushed to watch what was to happen next, others in respect for the soon to be dead Arnold. Helga pointed a finger on Arnold¹s nose. ³And if you dont think I¹m smarter then that,² the cobra hissed, ³Then your stupider then I thought!² To others this wouldn¹t be as harsh as it was to Arnold. Everyone considered him smart, and respected him. Sometimes, he even thought Helga respected him. Even though she always called him stupid, the way she put it made it seem even harsher then usual.   
Helga summoned Phoebe to her side, and they left the cafeteria. Arnold looked after her with stunned silence, and a look of total confusion. He didn¹t expect Helga to react like that. Maybe a little ³HAHA! Yeah right, football head!² and that would be it. But this was Hiroshima, with a little Texas Pete. And thats just putting it mildly! Cold eyes, cold heart, cold blow. He slowly turned towards the crowd. They all watched him, and what his next move would be. He simply picked up his tray, walked over toward his usual table, and sat with his friends as if nothing ever happened. The crowd dispersed. His Best Friend spoke up:   
³That was a close one.²   
³Yeah.²   
³What were you two talking about that got you fighting about her liking Arnie? Or, lack there of.²   
³The English project.²   
³Geeze, man! That seems totally irrevelant.²   
³It does, at first. I missed something.² He pulled out his footnotes and reread the names. Still not being able to connect anything. 

Meanwhile, outside in the playground. Phoebe tryed to calm her friend down. The sky threatened the city with rain. No one but the two were outside. Even though the previous day was warm and welcoming, today was cold and shunning.   
³Helga, please, tell me whats going on!²   
³You saw it all, Phoebe! No explination! End-of-story!²   
³No Helga, theres something your not telling me.²   
³You saw it! Whats there to tell!?² Helga yelled.   
³Come on, Helga. I¹m your best friend. You can tell me anything. You know I keep very good secrets, and that if I dont you¹ll kill me.²   
Helga¹s eyes went from stone cold, to a little warm. She knew she could trust Phoebe. But then again, she was raised not to trust anyone. Her upbringing cursed her. She sat on the swings, her back to Helga.   
³Phoebe,² she said softly, ³No.²   
³Please, Helga? I might be able to help you.² Phoebe sat next to her friend.   
Helga gave in. Slowly she stammered her way into what happened in preschool. By the end of the conversation, Helga felt stripped of her dignity. She felt as if Phoebe was going to laugh at her, and tell everyone. She as cold and as mocked and as embarrased at as someone who forgot to put on clothes in the middle of January. She waited for what happened next. Phoebe looked at her notes, and then smiled.   
³Helga, it¹s alright,² Phoebe said touching the poor girls arm, and trying to look into the girls eyes. Helga never felt this way. She always felt powerful, and in control. Now she felt helpless, and dragged against her own will. But yet, she felt something comforting in her friends voice. If she felt this way about telling her trusted best friend, what if she told the world? Worst yet, Arnold.   
³It¹s nothing to be ashamed of, Helga,² she continued, ³Loving another human being isnt bad. You can¹t help who you are attracted to. Having feelings doesnt mean your weak, or helpless. It doesnt mean you are suddenly a slave. It actually means you are stronger. That you can think of someone else, other then yourself. It¹s not a curse, Helga. It¹s a blessing.²   
Helga looked up into her friends eyes. She smiled, and hugged Phoebe.   
³Thank you, Phoebe.²   
Now for the worst part, Helga wants to tell Arnold her love. But shes scared. So scared, that shes not sure if she can do it. She has a choice; live a life of secretcy, or live a life of freedom. But living the life of freedom has a price. And that is acceptance. Acceptance from her love. And shes scarred that he wont pay. 

Continued....


End file.
